Fisher Cat: Not a Fisher, Not a Cat
Drawing of a fisher cat from Canva.
Fisher weasel, fisher cat, black cat, tree fox, tree otter, pekan, and Oochik (pronounced “wejack”)— the numerous names of the famously elusive fisher (Pekania pennanti). Short legs, a long body, and a bushy tail create the distinct silhouette of the fisher, Pennsylvania’s second largest member of the weasel family (second to the river otter). Fisher range in length from 30-48 inches, with males being substantially longer and heavier than females. Their predominantly dark brown to black coloration acts as a furry camouflage, particularly in the dark of night. Fisher have rounded ears, a triangular face, and eyes which shine green at night. If you’ve seen a sly creature that fits this description, you may have been lucky enough to have spotted the ever-evasive fisher.
If you thought fisher mainly feast on fish, you’d be assuming wrong. Although they are opportunistic omnivores, fisher rarely eat fish, ironically. These forest dwellers maintain a diverse diet, eating a smorgasbord of fruits, fungi, insects, reptiles, and small mammals such as mice, squirrels, and chipmunks. Most impressively, fisher are renowned for adeptly preying on porcupines; there is also evidence that fisher prey on white-tailed deer. Unlike other carnivorous species, fisher are skilled foragers from forest floor to tree canopy (thanks to their handy retractable claws). At the same time, by munching on fruit, fishers serve as a seed dispersing mammalian species.
Though historical data is limited, it is thought that fisher inhabited much of Pennsylvania in the past. During the 1800s, severe deforestation and consequent habitat loss caused the extirpation of fisher populations in Pennsylvania; it is hard to quantify this unfortunate event due to both a lack of records and the fisher’s secretive and solitary nature. Fortunately, Pennsylvania’s current fisher populations are established and increasing across the state thanks to reintroduction programs and expanding ranges of fisher populations from neighboring states. Most significantly, in the mid-to-late 1990s, 190 fishers were introduced in northern PA during a collaborative project with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Game Commission, and Penn State University.
It’s not a fisher, and it’s not a cat. Perhaps, in accordance with its name and classification, the fisher embodies the “weasel” stereotype of being sly, cunning, and elusive. It swiftly shimmies up trees, masterfully dodges porcupine quills, and rebounds from region-wide extirpation. I would consider this notoriously mysterious and often misunderstood mammal as an undeniable asset to Pennsylvania’s forests, and I can only hope that you would now agree.
For more information on one of Pennsylvania’s carnivores, visit https://www.pgc.pa.gov/Education/WildlifeNotesIndex/Pages/Fisher.aspx. If interested, you can also find information on Pennsylvania’s Fisher Management Plan and the Best Practices for Fisher Trapping at this link.
Written by Faith Forry — October 22, 2020
